The Latest: Moderator names topics for first debate

Shares

x

Your message has been sent successfully

Send email to:

From email:

Message content:

September 20, 2016 3:15AM (UTC)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on the U.S. presidential race (all times EDT):

6:48 p.m.

The moderator of the critical first presidential debate between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump has chosen a trio of topics for the Sept. 26 event: America's direction, prosperity and security.

Advertisement:

The Commission on Presidential Debates says moderator Lester Holt will follow a format that calls for six 15-minute time segments. Each topic will get two segments, according to the commission.

The 90-minute debate will be held at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, and begin at 9 p.m. EDT.

___

6:41 p.m.

Hillary Clinton is affirming her commitment to a strong relationship between the United States and Japan.

The Democratic presidential candidate and former secretary of state met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe Monday during the United Nations General Assembly in New York City.

Advertisement:

She said the relationship between the United States and Japan is "absolutely critical to the peace and prosperity of not only of Asia, but the entire world." Clinton said she looked forward to discussing a number of issues, from "North Korea to maritime security."

Abe spoke through a translator, saying the relationship is of "increasing" importance amid security concerns in the Asia-Pacific region.

Clinton is also meeting with several other leaders Monday.

___

5:00 p.m.

Donald Trump says that the United States must "use whatever lawful methods are available" to obtain information from the suspected New York and New Jersey bomber "to get information before it's no longer timely."

Advertisement:

Trump also noted that Ahmad Khan Rahami, a 28-year-old naturalized citizen originally from Afghanistan, will be received high-quality medical care and be represented by a high-quality lawyer.

Some members of his packed crowd in Fort Myers, Florida, shouted, "Hang him!"

He says that, because of how long it takes to try someone, "in the end, people will forget and his punishment will not be what it once would have been."

Advertisement:

___

4:33 p.m.

Donald Trump is blaming poor immigrant screening for a trio of recent attacks and says his administration would enact policies that would solely admit immigrants "who love our country."

Speaking at a packed rally in Fort Myers, Florida, Trump did not say how he'd screen for that. But he declared that, "You can't have vetting if you don't look at ideology."

Advertisement:

The GOP nominee says recent attacks in New York, New Jersey and Minnesota are examples of how poor screening puts all Americans in danger. And he is repeating his call for "extreme" vetting that would include an assessment of whether potential immigrants share American values.

Gingrich, opening for Trump at a rally Monday in Florida, said the Republican nominee was "telling the truth" and was "describing a bomb as though it were a bomb."

Trump said "a bomb went off in New York" moments after he stepped off his plane at a rally in Colorado Saturday night and before New York officials did. His opponent, Hillary Clinton, criticized Trump, saying "it's important to know the facts about any incident like this" before making public declarations.

Clinton also called it "a bombing" after receiving a briefing on the incident. Trump campaign officials have declined to say whether Trump had been briefed before stepping off his plane Saturday.

___

Advertisement:

4:21 p.m.

Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine says he will continue to highlight Donald Trump's recently reversed position on whether President Barack Obama was born outside the United States.

Speaking to students at a rally in Iowa State University Monday, Kaine said Trump's acknowledgement last week that Obama was born in the country doesn't make up for the GOP presidential candidate's years of being one of the nation's most prominent advocates of the so-called "birther" conspiracy.

Kaine said Trump had taken the country back to "the most painful chapter" in the country's history, and compared Trump's birther position to the U.S. Supreme Court's infamous pro-slavery 1857 Dred Scott decision.

Advertisement:

"I'm not letting this thing go," Kaine said.

___

3:50 p.m.

Donald Trump says recent attacks in three states should be "a wake-up call for every American."

The Republican presidential contender made the comment in a statement released Monday. He warned that terrorists are rooting for Hillary Clinton to win the presidency so "they can continue their savagery and murder."

Advertisement:

Trump promised that "political correctness" would not shape his policies if elected. He said earlier in the day he supports racial profiling to help prevent terrorist attacks at home.

In the statement, he also renewed his support for "extreme vetting" for legal immigrants coming from troubled regions and reminded voters he would not grant entry to Syrian refugees.

Trump warned that failing "to get smart and get tough fast" could make the weekend's attacks "the new normal."

___

Advertisement:

3 p.m.

Former President Bill Clinton is hosting his final gathering of the Clinton Global Initiative, an annual meeting of world leaders, philanthropists and celebrities.

The Clinton Foundation is facing election-year scrutiny, with Republicans accusing Hillary and Bill Clinton of using the organization to enrich themselves and give donors special political access.

In an attempt to quiet critics, Bill Clinton says he will step down from the foundation board if his wife is elected president. He has also said 2016 marks the last CGI meeting, regardless of the outcome of the November election.

___

2:50 p.m.

Republican vice presidential nominee Mike Pence is rejecting Hillary Clinton's assertion that Donald Trump and other GOP leaders are encouraging terrorists by asserting the U.S. is at war with Islam.

Pence told conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh on Monday that it's "weak and feckless" foreign policy from Democrats that "emboldens" Islamic State fighters.

The Indiana governor told Limbaugh during a phone interview that the U.S. is indeed "at war with the ISIS caliphate," using an acronym for the Islamic State group. He said Democrats won't say so because of "political correctness."

Pence also repeated a common Republican claim that the Islamic State grew because President Barack Obama withdrew ground forces from Iraq.

Obama did withdraw troops, but the withdrawal process was initiated by President George W. Bush's administration.

___

1:45 p.m.

The former wife of billionaire Oklahoma energy tycoon Harold Hamm is hosting a fundraiser for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, less than a week after her ex-husband chaired one for Republican Donald Trump.

Sue Ann Arnall is hosting a reception with Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine on Friday at her home in Oklahoma City.

The ex-wife of Continental Resources CEO Harold Hamm, Arnall was awarded nearly $1 billion in a divorce settlement in 2014.

Hamm was one of the chairs of a private fundraiser in Norman on Saturday for Trump and has been an outspoken supporter of the New York real estate mogul.

Donors listed as chairs for Friday's event with Kaine are expected to contribute $50,000. The minimum contribution is $1,000.

___

1:30 p.m.

Hillary Clinton says that "everyone needs to get off the sidelines" in this election.

At a campaign event geared toward young people in Philadelphia Monday, the Democratic presidential nominee stressed the close race and asked for more support, saying that "not voting is not an option."

Clinton characterized Republican Donald Trump as a divisive figure, stressing the fact that he has not apologized to President Barack Obama for repeatedly questioning if he was born in the United States.

She also questioned Trump's business record, saying she was "facing a candidate with a long history of racial discrimination in his businesses."

Clinton received loud applause when she said: "We have got to stand up to this hate."

___

1:25 p.m.

Donald Trump's tax plan may cost an additional $1.5 trillion.

That's according to a new analysis from the nonpartisan Tax Foundation.

The additional price tag is because the Trump campaign has been publicly silent about how the plan would treat businesses classified as "pass-throughs." The campaign has hinted it would give these firms a major tax break, but not made that clear. So the Tax Foundation estimated the cost under each scenario. It's either $4.4 trillion or $5.9 trillion.

Last week Trump promised voters that his tax math "works." Economists said then that was not likely because he was counting on record-setting growth to pay for his plan.

___

1:20 p.m.

Hillary Clinton says she understands that young voters still may have questions about her.

Speaking at a Philadelphia university Monday, Clinton made her case to millennial voters, noting that "even if you are totally opposed to Donald Trump, you may still have some questions about me. I get that."

Clinton said she would "never be the showman my opponent is." But Clinton asked the audience to compare policies from her campaign and from Republican rival Donald Trump's.

She also promised "no one will work harder to make your life better."

Clinton's campaign has acknowledged it has work to do to win over younger voters, who were part of President Barack Obama's winning coalitions, but who have been slower to embrace Clinton.

Clinton stressed plans to create jobs and improve college affordability.